Ashes in the Wind
by Butterfinger333
Summary: "You weren't supposed to go this early." Friends and family gather to remember and say goodbye to an amazing person that changed the world. Post Avatar: The Last Airbender/Pre Avatar: The Legend of Korra speculation.


**Disclaimer: Mike and Bryan own Avatar: The Last Airbender and Avatar: The Legend of Korra. (!)**

**Thanks to Mike and Bryan for continuing to explore the world of Avatar and planning to share what will be an amazing story with us!**

* * *

Grey clouds hung overhead, casting a dark gloom upon a small crowd gathered outside. Most heads were bent down, while some even had tears falling freely down their cheeks. Those in the front of the crowd, however, were staring directly at the woman addressing the crowd. While tears streamed down her face as well, her voice did not waver, and those in front even noticed a faint smile as she continued talking.

"Aang was a friend that always thought of others before himself. So please, when you think about him, don't let your thought be filled with sorrow. Instead, think of the joy Aang brought with him, because the happiness of others filled him with happiness as well. Remember him as the one to bring peace to all of us, not just as the Avatar, but as Aang." With these final words, the speaker wiped some tears away from her eyes as the crowd began to disperse, most people heading to a memorial recently crafted out of wood. Those in the front of the crowd, however, moved towards the woman to offer some comfort. She had her back turned towards them, instead staring forlornly at an open casket that had been behind her.

"It will be alright, Katara." A hand grasped Katara's shoulder firmly as a sign of comfort. Katara did not need to glance to her side to address the person.

"It's just been so surreal these past few weeks, Zuko," Katara admitted. "I'm trying to be strong for everyone, especially Tenzin, but..." Katara closed her eyes, her fingers automatically drifting to her neck, barely touching a worn blue pendant with swirling patterns engraved in the stone.

"We know, Katara." Another hand squeezed her other shoulder. "No one expected him to... go away this soon."

This time, Katara did turn as she prepared to speak, but was caught off guard by the sincere grief in her brother's blue eyes. Eyes, she realized, that must be mirroring the grief in her own eyes. Suddenly, she turned towards Sokka and hugged him fiercely, tears streaming down her face. After the shock faded, Sokka wrapped his arms around his sister, letting the tears he had fought so hard to keep back fall freely down his face for dead friend, no... brother.

Zuko, while allowing the two siblings some time to grieve, glared at the casket, fists clenching. "You weren't supposed to go this early. You were supposed to help everyone for another hundred years!" His voice cracked halfway through his accusation.

"Here." Zuko looked up to see a dainty hand holding up an embroidered handkerchief. "No one will think less of you if you cry, oh mighty Fire Lord." The icy tone then softened slightly. "Even I won't, for once."

Zuko's eyes softened in gratitude, and took the handkerchief. However, he noticed a corner of the handkerchief was slightly damp.

"It's wet, Mai."

Mai shrugged. "Just a corner."

Zuko felt the tears start to fall as he noticed the faintest tinge surrounding Mai's eyes on her usually pale face. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her closer so that he could gently kiss her forehead. Mai sighed and took back the handkerchief so that she could wipe away the tears from Zuko's face and those that had fallen onto her face as well.

A fifth person staring at the casket looked to the others grieving and sighed. Glancing one final time at the casket, he turned away and approached the final person of the group, who was sitting farther away on a rock and kicking some small pebbles off of the ground.

"Hey, Aunt Toph," the person waved halfheartedly.

Toph sighed. "You never can call me just 'Toph', can you Tenzin?"

"You're usually a lot more snappy when I call you that," Tenzin commented.

"All of this gloom is getting to me, I think," Toph grumbled.

"Me too."

"Aw, come on, kid," Toph said as she stomped her foot into the ground to create a rock for Tenzin to sit on. "We need someone to brighten our lives."

"My dad did that without even trying," Tenzin mumbled as he sat down.

Toph roughly jabbed a finger into Tenzin's chest. "So do you. And you better appreciate that _I_ said that. I don't usually give out compliments for the heck of it."

Rubbing the now sore spot on his chest, Tenzin looked up towards the cloudy sky. "I'm just having a hard time imagining the world without my dad," he admitted.

Awkwardly, Toph placed a hand on Tenzin's shoulder. "Listen," Toph said gruffly, "I know that I'm not good at making motivational speeches like your mom or being thoughtful like your uncle..." Toph paused, "at least when he's not acting like an idiot ninety-nine percent of the time..." Tenzin's mouth twitched at this playful quip.

"However," Toph continued, "I do know a thing or two about strength and endurance. And you have the strength to live on without your father, and so does everyone else. When an Avatar died in the past, the world didn't implode in itself. It persevered."

"Hmmm..." As Tenzin mulled this over, Toph added, "And I'm sure when the time comes, when we've contributed all we can to this world, Twinkletoes will be waiting for us in the Spirit World with that goofy grin on his face."

A small smile formed on Tenzin's face as he remembered his father's vivacious spirit and he turned to hug Toph. However, before he could he received a solid punch to the arm. "Just because I'm old doesn't mean I'm huggable now," Toph frowned. Tenzin rolled his eyes, but he knew to accept this as a sign of Toph's sincere affection.

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this, Katara?" Zuko asked.

"...Yes." Katara's voice did not break once this time.

Zuko swallowed before thrusting his arm towards the body in the casket, setting it aflame. He stepped back, and everyone watched the flame burn out. Tenzin stepped forward and created a powerful breeze that blew the ashes away into the grey sky that suddenly seemed reminiscent of Aang's hopeful eyes. After he finished his bending, Tenzin grabbed his mother's hand as everyone at the memorial watched Aang's ashes scatter across the world.

* * *

In the Southern Water Tribe, a small baby crinkled her nose and sneezed.

* * *

**Just some speculating based on what is know of LoK so far. Of course, Korra's existance means Aang died early. :'( *crosses fingers for some sort of flashback to the gAang in the new series***

**I can't wait until next year! Avatar shall live on! :)**

**~Butterfinger333**


End file.
